All You Wanted
by darciewritestoo
Summary: David learns how to play the guitar so he can tell Jack how he feels about him.


**Summary: David learns how to play the guitar so he can tell Jack how he feels about him.**

**Disclaimer: I know, I know. David didn't write the song. It's a Michelle Branch song. But I thought it was fitting for their relationship. **

o O o O o O o O o

When David's father's arm healed, David still kept working as a newsie. The newsies always questioned him about it - why did he still sell papes after school? What was he doing with the extra money? Jack, most of all, was the most vocal.

"Dave, what're ya stayin' around here for?" Jack asked one evening as they finished selling papes. "You don't haveta be a newsie no more."

"I like it." David said simply. "You guys are my friends." He looked at Jack as he said that, and Jack just smiled at him. Jack had _no_ idea what was coming. David had had something to tell Jack ever since the strike ended and he was getting more antsy about it. It was something he realized gradually throughout the strike.

He was attracted to Jack, like a boy should be a to a girl. But it was more than just physical. It was mental, too. They were opposites, yeah, but Jack had a hidden side to him. He could tell that sometimes Jack still wanted to escape his life, even though they had won the strike. David wanted to help him with that. He wanted to help Jack escape and get out of there, even if he was dreaming.

When David started taking guitar lessons, Jack made fun of him. Well, not harshly, but more like light jest. He knew that Jack didn't really mean anything _bad_ by it. It was mostly in front of the other newsies. When they were alone in private, Jack would ask him what it was like. David was honest, for the most part. He said he liked it. He said his teacher, Daniel, was helpful. Daniel didn't know David's real reason for wanting to learn the guitar, but then again neither did his parents.

He wanted to write a song for Jack. A song that told Jack how he felt about him. And it was _hard_ at first. David didn't have a lot of time between selling papes and school and lessons. But he started working on the song late at night as he lay in bed before he went to sleep and slowly, it started to piece together. It was perfect. It was exactly how he felt about Jack.

David began to practice the song during guitar lessons. He didn't let his teacher in on who the song was about, but he did say that whoever the song was about was a "lucky girl." David didn't know if Jack would think he was lucky when he heard the song. It wasn't the sappiest love song or anything, and who knew how Jack would react when he heard David had written a song about him? Not long ago, Jack had had a thing with David's sister. Though it didn't really last, that still indicated some interest in _girls_, right? Heck, sometimes David himself thought he had some interest in girls. But then he was alone with Jack and all he wanted to do was drag Jack into an alley and kiss him till the world disappeared. At first he tried to repress it but then he figured he couldn't hide it from himself anymore. He had been attracted to Jack from day one. Lord knows what David would have done if Jack stayed over the first night that they actually met.

Finally, the day came when the song was complete. David figured out how he would play it for David. He would invite Jack over. His parents, Sarah, and Les would be going to see a Vaudeville show, courtesy of Medda. David had been invited, but he didn't really feel like going. His parents reminded him that it was rare that they ever got to go to a show, and David told them not to worry, he'd go to the next one whenever that was.

So that evening, he told Jack he should come over and keep him company while his family was gone. Jack agreed, not even hesitating. Free food, who could resist that? So Jack came over to eat. After dinner, they decided to spend time in the kitchen, talking about how business was going. David noticed Jack starting to get fidgety and a little distant and awkward. David had no idea why, but he decided to make the big announcement.

"Hey, Jack, you know how I've been taking guitar lessons?"

"Yeah, Dave?" Jack asked, snapping back to attention immediately.

"Well I wrote this song," David said, looking away awkwardly. "Do you mind if I play it for you?"

"YOU wrote a song?" Jack asked surprised. "'Bout what?"

"You'll see. Want to hear?"

"Sure, Dave. Let's hear it." Jack said, leaning back in his chair. David stared at him for a moment, unable to tear his eyes away. Why did Jack have to do that? Look so good?

David finally looked away and went to his room to get the cheap guitar he had bought at a store that sold used stuff. Then he brought it into the kitchen and saw that Jack had already set out a chair for David. He grinned appreciatively at his friend, and sat down. First, he remembered, he had to make sure the guitar was in tune. He tuned it as Jack watched, obviously interested and curious.

Then he looked up. "Okay." he cleared his throat. "The song is called 'All You Wanted'."

Jack just gave him an encouraging smile. God, this was so difficult.

David did the only thing he could do. He began to play.

_I wanted_

_To be like you_

_I wanted _

_Everything_

_So I tried _

_To be like you_

_And I got swept away_

_I didn't know that_

_It was so cold and_

_You needed someone to show you the way_

_So I took your hand and_

_We figured out that _

_When the tide comes I'd take you away_

"And this is the chorus," David said, not looking at Jack.

_If you want to_

_I can save you_

_I can take you away from here_

_So lonely inside_

_So busy out there_

_And all you wanted was somebody who cares_

"And this is another verse," said David.

_I'm sinking slowly _

_So hurry, hold me_

_Your hand is all I have to keep me hanging on_

_Please can you tell me_

_So I can finally see_

_Where you go when you're gone_

As he repeated the chorus, David looked up at Jack's face. It was completely unreadable. Was Jack annoyed, amused, confused about who it was about, what? Why did he pick now to be expressionless?

_All you wanted was somebody who cares_

_If you need me you know I'll be there_

_If you want to_

_I can save you _

_I can take you away from here_

_So lonely inside_

_So busy out there_

_And all you wanted was somebody who cares_

_If you want to_

_I can save you _

_I can take you away from here_

_So lonely inside_

_So busy out there_

_And all you wanted was somebody who cares_

_Please can you tell me_

_So I can finally see_

_Where you go when you're gone_

Finally, David was done. He looked up at Jack. "Uh. What did you think?"

Jack's incredible face was washed with a strange look. "Who was it about?"

"Why?" David asked. Okay, this wasn't the plan. His plan was to tell Jack he loved him. Why was he being such a coward? He could stand up to Spot Conlon but he couldn't tell Jack the song was about him? Pathetic.

"Because it... what it's about sounds familia, dat's all." Jack said. "That's what I..."

"What you...?" David prompted. How he feels. How he _feels_. _Come on, Jack_, thought David, _say it_.

"What I..." Jack got this confused look on his face and then suddenly, another look came upon. A realization look. He looked up at David, a little accusingly, thought David. "You... It's..."

David didn't say anything. He was sure that the look on his face confirmed it all.

Jack stood. David sat still. What would Jack do? Soak him? As Jack approached, David sat stiffly. Jack reached out and pulled David up from sitting. David figured he would just let Jack do what he wanted. If he wanted to beat him up, then that was that. Gently, Jack took David's guitar and set it down on his own chair. That was good. Spare the guitar while he beat him up.

Then Jack just faced David.

"Are you sayin' that... you care?"

"Yeah, Jack. I do. I... I meant it all."

Jack nodded. "I was hopin' that."

And then... one step toward David. Another one. A third. David's heart thumped in his chest. Jack's arms went where he hadn't expected them to. Instead of David's jaw, they went _around_ David. Then he saw Jack's face coming at him, and then Jack's lips were on his and it was amazing and passionate and perfect and now David knew that Jack wanted what the song said. What David had said in the song. Because David knew him that well, and maybe that was why Jack kissed him.

Later when they discussed the song and the kiss, David would learn that Jack had started to love him awhile ago too and he wished David of all people would understand the things Jack did. David would learn that Jack loved him because they were equals, because David _did_ understand, because they _were_ so different, because David never left being a newsie after he was able to, because he wanted to keep working with Jack. There were a lot of reasons. David had no reason to complain. And he wouldn't.

He played Jack songs a lot from then on.


End file.
